The United States has started preliminary discussions with Israel and Syria on a possible security agreement, Axios reported, citing American and Israeli officials. The contacts, described as "very soft and exploratory," mark the first U.S.–facilitated dialogue between the longtime adversaries in years. Washington favours a step-by-step process aimed initially at lowering border tensions and updating the 1974 disengagement accord, officials said. Israel, however, wants assurances that any roadmap will culminate in full diplomatic normalisation. Talks are currently being held with Syrian representatives below the level of President Ahmed al-Sharaa and no leaders’ summit is planned at this stage. A senior U.S. official told Axios the Trump administration is prepared to help broker an eventual deal but will leave core issues—such as the delineation of borders and the fate of the Golan Heights—“up to them, not up to us.” If successful, the initiative could expand on the Abraham Accords, under which several Arab states recognised Israel in 2020.